Why do you get tons of alarms in a RURAL area ?
Why can't you speed in a RURAL area ? Too many tractors and hay wagons on the road ?
Where are you located anyway ?

 

My Escort 95000i is smarter than that. It remembers and displays the frequency of the signal (to within 1 megahertz). As you approach the area of the false signal, it won't alert on the false signal, which is usually X Band. Should there be another signal there, it will alert on it and display the 'new' frequency. Being a "radio nut" this is what is kinda fun about the Escort - some counties are using Xband for their microwave hops between tower sites and with the Escort with me, I can tell what tower sites are doing so (which has nothing to do with police radar, it's just interesting because I work in the Land Mobile industry).

But as you and Doc have pointed out, radar detectors are less effective today, with officers using instant on radar - but they are not INEFFECTIVE, mine has alerted on many a small-town officer (usually small town officers) sitting somewhere watching traffic.

 

Another war story and Pizza Mark, will relate to this more since he understands the systems. Having time on our hands, and radar detectors becoming so popular years ago, we decided to have some fun. Being a small community, we placed a car at the start of a 30 mph zone we were having trouble enforcing. His unit was left on. People obviously slowed down until they would get a mile down the road, and even though they still were receiving a signal, they knew they weren't being pursued and would speed up. We did this for a few weeks. People became accustomed to this and would return to speeding ignoring their detectors and the officer. I used my plain car with the use of instant on feature to start enforcing the limit by setting up a mile down the road. The detectors were useless since they were receiving a signal already. It didn't take long that no one would speed on that 3 mile section of road.

 

I had a escort. I always thought it was just something to play with, never trusted it. My thoughts are never be the fastest car, just follow him at a safe distance.

 

I drive ALOT of miles and if I'm not running with my radar detector I feel like I'm driving "blind". Using a radar detector is not about being able to speed with immunity from speeding tickets. If you're out there running way too fast in the left lane it's only a matter of time before you get picked off (and you deserve to be picked off). A good radar detector provides situational awareness. Radar detectors help to make you a more alert driver, make you aware of your surroundings and keep you from running faster than the flow of surrounding traffic.

Historically travelers had to protect themselves from armed highway robbers. These days the police have become the armed highway robbers. A good radar detector can only help to keep you from being the one "chosen" to have your pockets fleeced.

My opinion is not intended to offend anyone (Doc). I have great respect for the highly trained and dedicated law enforcement officers who put themselves at risk to protect and serve the public. It is only when they are misdirected to prey on the motoring public for the thinly veiled purpose of collecting revenue that they can become little more than armed highway robbers. Just my humble opinion.

 

I had purchased a radar detector before I drove my car home from the point of purchase in Florida and the only thing it detected were State Troopers as they passed me on I95 and (i kid you not) cows in farmers fields...

 

I hope you put it away before you crossed the border into Canada. Think about this . . . if "they" really wanted you to slow down to improve safety on the roadways, why would they make radar detectors illegal in Canada? Clearly they DON'T really want you to slow down . . . They want you to be defenseless so they can easily take your money!
Oh . . . like sheep to the slaughter . . .

 

The law makers took away detectors in DOT certified trucks long ago. It was deemed for safety reasons. This was done during the 55 mph days. Speed limits for big trucks is growing across the nation to 70 mph again, and detectors aren't really needed. Most of us still use CB radios, and monitor where the officers are. As I stated earlier, on open roads I rarely enforced anything under 15 over, and most troopers are like that. But, with the growing limit now at 70, I would say that has shrunk to 10 over, so running 80 in a 70 isn't going to get you stopped for the most part. But anything over, and you are toast. Now, in smaller jurisdictions, you better be down to 5 over or less. I always concentrated on the guy in a hurry, weaving in and out of traffic, hauling *** if you will. Passing on the right, tailgating, flashing lights, honking horns....if that is you? Grab your ***. That is who they are looking for. I won't say there aren't those who love to run speed traps. We were on the national register as a speed trap here in Cicero, and probably still are. You can probably thank me for that. WE have a section of road with out side walks, where the speed limit is 30 mph. We try to keep people to under 40. And we were writing a lot of citations as it is a popular short cut. Speed limits are there for a reason, and traffic studies are done to justify those limits. Studies include number of accidents, number of vehicles traveling the road at peak times, and intersections, whether residential or commercial, etc, etc. There will always be the cat and mouse game of speeding, just do it where there isn't a lot of heavy traffic and you should be fine. Cops only enforce areas they are assigned to, and usually for a good reason.

 

I returned the unit to a Walmart just before entering Canada...and most cops here now use laser so no need for it. Wish there was something we could use to even out the odds

 

Haha sorry about that I meant to say in the city. I'm located in St. Pete Beach Florida and tons of false alarms up and down the beach as well as in Tampa. I used to love my radar detector heading on I-275 towards Miami and down alligator alley. It used to beep a long ways before the state trooper ever appeared on the side of the road.
Sorry for the confusion. I knew I shouldn't post after a few beers

 

Sounds like what your co-workers have been doing on my island for a while. First they set up one of those signs that electronically display your speed limit and whether you need to slow down. This was there for about 4 weeks and obviously set off every radar detector passing by...then out of nowhere they set up a speed trap shortly after that measuring sign and I'm sure lots of folks got "screwed". On the other hand, the sign had been there for a while and said "slow down" when going over the limit so it's kinda like "I told ya so"

 

Unfortunately our speed limit for the most is 60mph with long straight roads, Most drivers will push to 70 or 69 as the magic # not to get bumped up top a larger fine. I believe that 70 should be enough with today's car (vs those made ion the 50-80's) and most new roads built over the past 2 decades have better banking and rain roll off angles to help prevent skidding and hydroplaning in most conditions. All this does not help with the lack of driver ability or capabilities. This is why in my opinion we should never have our own version of the Autobahn

 

60 is a little slow for a rural interstate for sure. I don't like states like mine, that mix the limit. trucks a slower speed than cars. Michigan really sucks. 60/70.... Talk about close calls. But, no speed limit is ever going to be perfect for everyone. I don't mind detectors, so don't get me wrong. If you think they help, by all means use them. Just don't depend on them alone. Now, for a place like the Dragon, they will let you know if you have company in the area or not, so I do see them useful for those situations....

 

I was surprised to the lack of CB chatter on the way from Detroit to the Dragon then to Florida then back to Canada, I cruised with the traffic and was fast enough. but saw many Troopers on the sides well hidden and yet only a few "smokie" alerts.

 

since the limits have been raised to 70, most trucking companies, not mine, have limited their trucks to 68 or less. The CDL license carries points whether it is a warning or not, so most trucks aren't pushing the limit that much, and because of that, not much to talk about. Few cars have radios anymore....you just have to ask, but ask like you are in a big rig....lol My new tractor, is governed to the slow speed of 90.... darn it....

 

Oledoc, you'll have to share some of those secrets. I saw mention of using the known radar to mask a real trap twice after I mentioned it.

If I have to rant -- I wish something could be done about tailgaters, those driving way under the limit in the left lane, those that pull in and out of lanes trying to save 30 seconds and causing everyone else to slam on their brakes, etc. Someone driving 10-20 over by themselves on the open highway is not much risk, other than to themselves and the occasional squirrel or deer.

Penalizing speeders is like calling offsides in ice hockey while ignoring the slashing, tripping, and charging (see rant again). In other words, ignoring the truly dangerous and harmful stuff.